trip leg define

What is a Flight Leg?

A flight leg maintains the same flight number and aircraft throughout its journey from one airport to another.

Your ticket to Going

Meet the travel membership saving you hundreds of dollars on flights. We’ve helped millions travel and experience the world without breaking the bank.

In other words, it’s a direct flight from point A to point B with no stops or changes of aircraft along the way. This flight may be one of multiple segments of an itinerary involving one or more layovers and/or changes of aircraft. With rare exceptions, every flight you take is an individual flight leg. If you board the plane in one city and get off in another city, that's a flight leg.

Can I skip a leg of my flight?

You can skip a leg of your flight, but it’s important to note that as soon as you no-show, the airline will cancel any legs after the once you’ve skipped, including any return flights if they’re on the same itinerary. 

Intentionally missing a leg of your itinerary is a key component of a money-saving travel hack called skiplagging. Instead of looking for direct flights to their intended destination, passengers search for deals that include a layover at their intended arrival airport regardless of the itinerary’s final destination. 

When they arrive for a layover in the city they want to stay in, they simply exit the airport instead of boarding the next flight leg. This can be a money-saving tactic due to something called “ hidden city ticketing ,” wherein an airline might sell a multi-stop itinerary connecting, for example, New York to Denver with a layover in Charlotte, at a lower cost than a direct flight from New York to Charlotte. 

Skipping a flight leg is not illegal but it is frowned upon by airlines. Passengers who frequently miss connecting flights as a part of this strategy can face retaliation from the airline like invalidated frequent flyer miles or loss of elite status. Additionally, as mentioned above, an airline will cancel any legs after the leg you’ve skipped.

What is a flight recovery leg?

When a flight is diverted due to weather or other unforeseen events, an aircraft might be rerouted to a different arrival airport than originally scheduled. A “flight recovery leg” is an industry term for the new flight segment created to deliver passengers to their intended arrival destination after an unexpected rerouting.

Going members get amazingly cheap flights delivered right to their inboxes.

Last updated Jan 10, 2024

A flight leg in the air industry is a flight from one airport to another under the same flight number, with the same aircraft, and no stops in between. The term is typically used to define a part of a complex (also called multi-leg ) itinerary that consists of multiple flight legs meaning that layovers and/or changes of aircraft are involved in such a journey.

For example, a direct, non-stop flight from New York to Boston includes only one flight leg. A flight from New York to Paris with a layover in London includes two legs, regardless of whether it’s the same aircraft, different planes of the same carrier, or even different carriers .

A flight leg is often used interchangeably with the term flight segment , but there’s a difference between the two. A flight segment is also a trip from origin to destination airport, but it can have a stop, for example, for refueling, when passengers don’t have to leave the plane . In case there’s an intermediate stop, a flight segment consists of two legs.

Recommended content for you

Connecting flights: virtual interlining benefits and how to seize them, video: flight booking algorithm: steps and key systems, video: how supersonic flights might finally return, airline ticketing: key functions, steps, and players involved, history of flight booking: crss, gds distribution, travel agencies, and online reservations.

Our website uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience. By browsing the website you agree to our use of cookies. Please note, we don’t collect sensitive data and child data.

To learn more and adjust your preferences click Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy . Withdraw your consent or delete cookies whenever you want here .

Get in Touch

Yes, I understand and agree to the Privacy Policy

• Aviation Terminology

Glossary of Aviation Terms | Leg

Leg | paramount business jets.

A leg refers to a particular portion of flight that exists between and is defined by two end points. The two end points can be NAVAIDs (navigational aids), fixes, landmarks, geographical features, or any other type of point in time or space that involves a distance flown past or too by an aircraft. A leg can be used in many ways: to describe the length of a journey, part of a flight, distance needed to be flown, or more commonly, a portion of a route flown.

A route is the direction an aircraft flies to get from point A to point B. A leg is mainly used to describe a portion of that route. Aircraft mainly navigate by using NAVAIDs, or satellite navigation. When using NAVAIDs, an aircraft will generally take off from the airport, fly to the closest NAVAID, and then proceed to the next one, and so on and so forth until reaching their destination. The "leg" will refer to the portion of flight in-between those NAVAIDs. For instance, an aircraft taking off from JFK International Airport and flying to Miami International Airport might fly from JFK to Atlantic City, then to Washington, D.C., and on to Richmond, VA, and finally to Miami. Any portion of the flight between and up to any two cities would be referred to as a leg.

A leg can also refer to an entire flight. Since airlines make multiple flights a day with the same aircraft, each flight can be identified as a leg. If a plane took off from New York City and landed in Chicago, then took off from Chicago and landed in Los Angeles, each one of those flights would be identified as a leg. For passengers, a leg might mean the changeover of a flight. If a passenger has more than one stop and/or must switch planes to get to their destination, then each segment of their flight would be considered a leg.

In the charter industry, a leg will be the same kind of principal as in the airline industry, but with a slightly different meaning. Charter companies offer what is called a point-to-point flight. This is when a charter company will offer a customer a one-way flight without the fee of returning to its home base because the destination has another customer needing a flight to another destination. A point-to-point flight is an excellent example of a leg because it identifies the beginning and end point of the charter's journey.

Legs will be used mainly by pilots, but also by their employers, to accurately determine the cost of a flight. In essence, a leg is a predetermined distance up to and including two different points. It takes time, fuel, and money to fly from one point to the next. A company like an airline or charter service will plan ahead to figure out how much each leg of the journey will cost in terms of money and fuel and then determine if a better leg can be flown or if it is even worth it to be flown.

Explore More Aviation Terminology

• Flight Plan | Paramount Business Jets
• Net/Net | Paramount Business Jets
• Charter Broker | Paramount Business Jets
• General Aviation | Paramount Business Jets
• Jet Charter Broker | Paramount Business Jets
• Visual Meteorological Conditions | Paramount Business Jets
• Airport | Paramount Business Jets
• Airspeed | Paramount Business Jets
• Airfoil | Paramount Business Jets

Get a Quote for Your trip

• Get a Quote
• Charter Guide
• Safety Standards
• Why Charter
• Aircraft Sales
• Aircraft Acquisition
• Private Jet Charter
• Corporate Charters
• Collegiate Athletic Charters
• Performing Arts Charters
• Political Campaign Charters
• Aircraft Management
• Mid Size Jets
• Super Midsize Jets
• Charter Airliner
• Helicopters

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

What Does Leg Mean in Aviation?

A leg is a single one-way journey from point A to point B. While a leg can make up the entire journey, the term is usually used to refer to a single part of a larger trip and to mean that a certain flight was only part of a longer flight plan. Legs can be layovers in commercial travel and with private jet charters can refer to fuel stops or repositioning. West Palm Jet Charter offers empty legs flights at a discounted rate to avoid the aircraft being empty for the leg of a journey in which the aircraft would be returning to its home base or traveling to a different location to pick up chartered passengers.

• Get IGI Global News

• All Products
• Book Chapters
• Journal Articles
• Video Lessons
• Teaching Cases

Shortly You Will Be Redirected to Our Partner eContent Pro's Website

eContent Pro powers all IGI Global Author Services. From this website, you will be able to receive your 25% discount (automatically applied at checkout), receive a free quote, place an order, and retrieve your final documents .

What is Trip Leg

Related Books View All Books

Related Journals View All Journals

Definition of 'leg'

leg in American English

Leg. in american english, leg in british english, leg. in british english, legato in british english, examples of 'leg' in a sentence leg, word lists with leg.

Quick word challenge

Quiz Review

Score: 0 / 5

More idioms containing leg

Related word partners leg, vocabulary builder.

Trends of leg

View usage over: Since Exist Last 10 years Last 50 years Last 100 years Last 300 years

Browse alphabetically leg

• leg before wicket
• All ENGLISH words that begin with 'L'

Related terms of leg

• View more related words

Wordle Helper

Scrabble Tools

Thanks to the open leg flight, you have the very real option of traveling via a private jet without the hefty price tag. Find out more now!

Traveling always leads to new experiences and adventures – and it doesn’t matter why or where you are going. You could be traveling with your family to visit extended family. You could be heading out on a solo trip to explore a new destination. Or maybe you are just traveling for work to meet with a new client. Whatever the reason, the open leg flight is always a great option.

Believe it or not, you are in charge of your travel experience.

You can choose to fly commercial and deal with all the headaches that come with it, such as rigid schedules, long lines, crowded flights, and long layovers. Or, you could choose to fly private and actually enjoy your flight experience.

If you are under the impression that private travel is not within your reach, think again. Thanks to open leg flights, you have the very real option of traveling via a private jet without the hefty price tag. Sure, there may be a few limitations, but there are many more benefits.

Let’s explore open leg flights. Here’s everything you need to know.

Open Leg Flights: What Are They?

As its name suggests, an open leg flight is one that, well, has an open leg. Perhaps someone chartered the flight to where you are currently located. Now, that private jet needs to be in another location (or back where it came from) for another flight.  So, they have a choice – they can fly where they need to go with no passengers and covering all the costs. Or, they can give a deal to a traveler looking for a flight while also offsetting their costs.

In other words, let’s say someone took a flight from Miami, FL to Chicago, IL.  Although it is a great city, the pilot of that jet doesn’t want to get stranded because he or she has work to do back in Miami. For someone in Chicago looking to spend some time on the beaches of Miami, hopping on this open leg could come with a great discount. It is a win-win for everyone involved.

When it comes to traveling via an open leg flight, you get the opportunity to experience the benefits that come with flying private. And, the best part is that you can enjoy them for a fraction of the cost! A few of the best benefits are the luxury accommodations inside each jet, the savings you receive, increased flexibility, as well as reduced travel time. Ready for a closer look?

Luxury Accommodations

Whether you have never been inside a private jet or you have only seen inside through pictures or other media, it is time you see just what you have been missing. The level of luxury will vary depending on the aircraft you fly on, but there is no doubt that the accommodations you find on a private jet open leg flight will far exceed anything you will encounter in the world of commercial air travel.

Private airports and FBOs have very little traffic and lines are nonexistent. That’s right – you will not encounter long security lines here. Usually, you just pull up and board your flight within minutes. But, if you find yourself with time to spare, the inside of these private airports bring much comfort.

Once on the private jet, you will find that seating is not elbow-to-elbow with strangers, but rather roomy. The seats are often comfortable and the atmosphere much more relaxed. Again, the level of luxury you encounter will depend on the type of private aircraft you are on. Let’s see what else an open leg flight has to offer.

Cost Savings

When you travel on an open leg flight, you have the full amenities and comfort of private travel without spending the full amount. Though private travel has become much more affordable than it used to be, who doesn’t love to save money?

Open leg flights offer the opportunity to travel in luxury while also going easy on your wallet.

An Open Leg Flight Is a Little Bit Different

True, an  open leg flight gets you to where you want to go while treating you to the amenities that come with private travel, but there are a few slight differences that set these flights apart from those full-priced bookings. It is important to keep in mind that these differences are often minor and do not interfere with the comfort and experience you get when you fly private.

Let’s take a look.

Flexibility

One of the perks private travelers enjoy is flexibility. When booking, you have the choice of when you’d like to depart. And, since you are the passenger, if you get delayed due to traffic, for instance, the jet is not going to take off without you. Unlike commercial aircraft that are on stringent deadlines, private jets allow for some wiggle room.

For those traveling on an open leg flight, the flexibility is still there, but less so. For instance, the jet may not take off without you if you get stuck in a little traffic, but you may not be able to book your flight to travel on your schedule. If that jet needs to be somewhere by a certain time, it’s not going to be less accommodating to your needs.

You choose this open leg flight because it is heading in the direction you want to go – by choice or by chance. You are the one who needs to be flexible if you want great savings!

Open Leg Flight: Special Amenities

Finally, we all know that there are so many special amenities that come with flying private. The biggest by far is often the catered food. When booking these flights, you can have the choice of certain meals or even takeout from local eateries, as well as specific drinks or snacks on board. It’s truly one of the perks of flying private – something you won’t get when flying commercial.

Open leg flights are different, though. Because you are booking last minute, all the planning and scheduling time is not there. This means that some of those special, personalized amenities may not make it on board at all.

If you have to fly, fly private . If you want to save money, look for open leg flights. Despite all the differences, there are still many benefits to be enjoyed while on board a private jet.

Privacy Overview

• Dictionaries home
• American English
• Collocations
• German-English
• Grammar home
• Practical English Usage
• Learn & Practise Grammar (Beta)
• Word Lists home
• My Word Lists
• Recent additions
• Resources home
• Text Checker

Definition of leg noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

part of body

Anatomy 101: Obscure Words for Body...

Anatomy 101: Obscure Words for Body Parts

Or: It's called a what?

Is it 'Leg' or 'Limb'?

A strong contender for the 'silliest peeve ever' award

Dictionary Entries Near leg

Cite this entry.

“Leg.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/leg. Accessed 1 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of leg.

 (Entry 1 of 2)

Kids Definition of leg  (Entry 2 of 2)

Medical Definition

Medical definition of leg, legal definition, legal definition of leg, more from merriam-webster on leg.

Nglish: Translation of leg for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of leg for Arabic Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about leg

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Can you solve 4 words at once?

Word of the day.

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

More commonly misspelled words, commonly misspelled words, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), absent letters that are heard anyway, how to use accents and diacritical marks, popular in wordplay, the words of the week - apr. 26, 9 superb owl words, 'gaslighting,' 'woke,' 'democracy,' and other top lookups, 10 words for lesser-known games and sports, your favorite band is in the dictionary, games & quizzes.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

A Yellowstone trip that ended with a man being arrested for kicking a bison

FILE - A pedestrian walks past the entrance to Yellowstone National Park, June 15, 2022, in Gardiner, Mont. A man who kicked a bison in the leg was then hurt by one of the animals on April 21, 2024, in Yellowstone National Park, according to park officials. Park rangers arrested and jailed him after he was treated for minor injuries. (AP Photo/David Goldman, File)

• Copy Link copied

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP) — A man who kicked a bison in the leg was then hurt by one of the animals in Yellowstone National Park, according to park officials.

Park rangers arrested and jailed him after he was treated for minor injuries.

Park rangers got a call about the man allegedly harassing a bison herd and kicking one of them about seven miles (11 kilometers) inside the park’s west entrance on April 21.

Rangers stopped the man in a car driven by another person in nearby West Yellowstone, Montana, Yellowstone officials said in a release Monday.

Park officials didn’t describe the 40-year-old man’s injuries from the bison. He was charged with being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and approaching and disturbing wildlife.

His 37-year-old companion was charged with driving under the influence, failing to yield to a police car and disturbing wildlife.

The two men from Idaho Falls, Idaho, pleaded not guilty in a court appearance April 22.

Bison are the largest land mammal in North America, with bulls weighing up to 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). Despite their size, bison can sprint up to 40 mph (65 kilometers per hour). They routinely injure tourists who get too close.

Yellowstone officials urge people to stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from all large wildlife in the park.

Some Yellowstone facilities began opening for the busy summer season last week, a process that will continue into June.

A Yellowstone trip that ended with a man being arrested for kicking a bison

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — A man who kicked a bison in the leg was then hurt by one of the animals in Yellowstone National Park, according to park officials.

Park rangers arrested and jailed him after he was treated for minor injuries.

Park rangers got a call about the man allegedly harassing a bison herd and kicking one of them about seven miles (11 kilometers) inside the park’s west entrance on April 21.

Rangers stopped the man in a car driven by another person in nearby West Yellowstone, Montana, Yellowstone officials said in a release Monday.

Park officials didn’t describe the 40-year-old man’s injuries from the bison. He was charged with being under the influence of alcohol, disorderly conduct, and approaching and disturbing wildlife.

His 37-year-old companion was charged with driving under the influence, failing to yield to a police car and disturbing wildlife.

The two men from Idaho Falls, Idaho, pleaded not guilty in a court appearance April 22.

Bison are the largest land mammal in North America, with bulls weighing up to 2,000 pounds (900 kilograms). Despite their size, bison can sprint up to 40 mph (65 kilometers per hour). They routinely injure tourists who get too close.

Yellowstone officials urge people to stay at least 25 yards (23 meters) away from all large wildlife in the park.

Some Yellowstone facilities began opening for the busy summer season last week, a process that will continue into June.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Blinken Goes to China With Potential Trouble on Horizon

The secretary of state’s visit comes as Democrats and Republicans are vying to appear tougher on China.

By Vivian Wang

Reporting from Beijing

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken arrived in China on Wednesday to try to preserve the recent and delicate stabilization of ties between the United States and China, as tensions over trade, territorial disputes and national security threaten to derail relations again.

Even before Mr. Blinken’s plane approached Shanghai, the challenges ahead were apparent. He landed just hours after the U.S. Senate passed a bill , which President Biden is expected to quickly sign into law, that provides $8 billion to Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region, and could also lead to a nationwide ban on the Chinese-owned app TikTok .

The political season in the United States also looms as a complication. With the presidential election nearing, Democrats and Republicans are vying to appear tougher on China. And if former President Donald Trump is re-elected, he could reverse Beijing’s and Washington’s efforts to steady the relationship.

During Mr. Blinken’s three-day trip, which will also include a visit to Beijing, he plans to press Chinese officials on a wide range of issues, including its support for Russia, cheap Chinese exports that U.S. officials say threaten American jobs, and Chinese ships’ aggressive maneuvers in the South China Sea, a senior State Department official told reporters in a telephone briefing.

Chinese officials are likely to bring up American support for Taiwan, the self-governing island that China claims, and trade restrictions that Beijing calls discriminatory.

Mr. Blinken is expected to meet with China’s foreign minister, Wang Yi. It is not clear whether he will meet with China’s leader, Xi Jinping, as he did during his last visit , in June.

That visit — the first by an American secretary of state to China since 2018 — came at perhaps the worst moment in U.S.-China relations in recent years. High-level military communications were cut off, and neighboring countries worried that the two powers might stumble into a war.

Since then, relations have thawed somewhat. China’s economy is slowing, and Beijing has adopted a softer diplomatic tone to attract more foreign investment. Washington, though continuing to warn that China poses a global security threat, has said it wants to keep communication open.

In November, Mr. Biden and Mr. Xi met for four hours near San Francisco. Afterward, China agreed to resume cooperation with the United States on fighting the global production of fentanyl, and both countries affirmed the importance of restoring cultural exchanges. The two leaders also spoke by phone this month.

Last week, the countries’ top defense officials held a video conference, their first substantive engagement since late 2022.

But new sources of tension are rising. Western officials have grown increasingly vocal about concerns that China is backing Russia in its war in Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, during her own visit to China earlier this month, warned of “ significant consequences ” if Beijing provides material support. China has maintained that it is not, while deepening ties with Moscow. Mr. Xi hosted Russia’s foreign minister this month, and President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia is expected to visit China soon.

U.S. officials have also said China is dumping cheap electric vehicles and solar panels in overseas markets, hurting American companies. China has rejected the accusations as smacking of protectionism.

Chinese ships’ aggressive behavior in waters disputed with the Philippines and Japan has also raised concerns about a possible clash that could draw in the United States, a treaty ally of those countries.

On Taiwan, perhaps the most sensitive issue in the U.S.-China relationship, the island is set to inaugurate its new president , Lai Ching-te — whom Beijing reviles as an advocate of Taiwanese independence — next month.

Asked at a regular news briefing on Wednesday about Congress’s new aid for Taiwan, Wang Wenbin, a spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, said that stronger military cooperation between the United States and Taiwan would “not bring about security for Taiwan” and would “only escalate tensions across the Taiwan Strait.”

China’s defense minister, Dong Jun, had told U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin during their call that China would “brook no compromise” on Taiwan, according to the Chinese readout .

Mr. Wang declined to answer repeated questions about TikTok on Wednesday. He referred reporters to previous statements from China’s Ministry of Commerce, which has said it would “ firmly oppose ” a sale of the app.

Within the United States, anti-China rhetoric is likely to intensify as the Democrats and Republicans compete to outdo each other on one of the few areas of bipartisan agreement. Campaigning last week in Pennsylvania, a steelworking stronghold, Mr. Biden called for raising tariffs on steel imports from China.

“We had high hopes after the San Francisco summit, but recent developments are putting a lot of stress on the relationship,” said Xie Tao, the dean of the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University. “When you add all these negative developments together, you have a pretty depressing picture of the U.S.-China relationship right now.”

Both countries have reason to try to prevent escalating tensions. The United States has asked China to help restrain Iran, with which it has good relations, from pushing its hostilities with Israel into full-blown war. And China is eager to stave off further tariffs from the United States, as strong exports have helped it counterbalance its housing crisis and weak consumer spending.

But both countries may also have little room for diplomatic maneuvering, because of hardening public opinion on both sides.

“There are already so many irritants and issues of mistrust within the relationship,” said Allen Carlson, a professor of international relations at Cornell University.

“If you have a pot which is already close to boiling, it only takes adding a degree or two to push things over the edge.”

Vivian Wang is a China correspondent based in Beijing, where she writes about how the country’s global rise and ambitions are shaping the daily lives of its people. More about Vivian Wang